September - Worm of the Month

Climate is a significant factor when it comes to equine parasite management. Although we're all approaching the autumn season, the weather will be different in Florida or Arizona than it will be in Minnesota or Maine. This means worm control practices, and their timing, will vary, but this time of year still offers opportunities to reduce your horse's parasite load.

To help you over the coming months, we've gathered a few ideas and helpful hints for you to incorporate into your horse's worm control program.

Bots
The bot was our 'Worm of the Month' back in April, 2010, so we recommend reading that article if you missed it. A 'clean out' deworming at this time of year helps interrupt the reproductive cycle and eliminate bots in your horse until next year.

After the first killing frost, remove all visible bot eggs from your horse and dispose of them carefully in the garbage; the adult botflies will have been killed off by the cold temps.
Keep in mind that bots have been known to infect the human eye, so when removing bots with a bot knife don't touch your face until after you've washed your hands thoroughly with soap and water!
Wait 30 days to allow for any bots to migrate to the stomach, then deworm with either ivermectin or moxidectin.

This process might happen in October or November if you're in a colder climate, or in January if you're in warmer regions.

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Autumn deworming is important to control bots, tapeworms,
and encysted small strongyles.

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Tapeworms

While tapeworm infestations can occur at any time of the year, periods of prolonged grazing (such as during the summer months) allow the greatest chances of infection. Autumn is a good time to check manure for tapeworm segments, and to deworm with pyrantel or praziquantel if needed.

Small strongyles

Also referred to as redworms or bloodworms, small strongyles tend to 'encyst' in the horse's gut wall and hibernate over the winter; in the spring, they can hatch en-masse in the late winter or early spring, resulting in diarrhea, colic, and rapid/severe weight loss. It's a serious issue, since this large-scale emergence can potentially be fatal, with a documented 50% mortality rate.

Ascarids

Horses less than two years of age are more susceptible to ascarid, or roundworm, infections than mature horses; if deworming a foal for the first time, keep in mind that those older than three months at their first deworming are more prone to colic.

If you have specific questions about autumn parasite protocols in your region, you can check with your veterinarian or your local extension office.

If we can be of help, please email us at hlab@horsemenslab.com or call us at 800-544-0599. Check our Archive for Worm of the Month articles on specific types of parasites.